Little Things We Love at Disney World: Character Caravan

The “Caravanning ‘Round The World” RV is a special character experience that happens a few times each week at every Walt Disney World resort hotel. Sometimes, it’s a surprise; other times, it’s scheduled meet & greet sets. This covers everything you need to know about the WDW Character Caravan and why it’s one of the many “little things” we love about Walt Disney World.

As a programming note, this is a new twist on a never-ending new series of posts, the Little Things We Love About Walt Disney World. Readers loved that (and Part 2), as it offered a nice reminder about what makes Walt Disney World such a special place. Many fellow fans shared their own heartfelt sentiment and favorite little things in the 60+ comments to that.

Our goal with that was discussing the “little things” that keep us coming back to Walt Disney World again and again. Things that seem small, but can help define a trip or are memories of it every bit as much as the E-Ticket attractions. Think of them as the ‘Morsels of the Magic,’ if you will. The common theme to entries on this list of the little things we love is nostalgia and sentimentality.

With this I wanted to try a new approach–giving these topics their own, bite-sized posts that would make for easier organization and future reference. That’s probably the better course of action for a planning website, as instead of just a stroll down memory lane, this can now be something actionable or potentially useful for planners. (I had the idea when trying to figure out whether we have any posts recommending people check out Sonny Eclipse’s show in Magic Kingdom. The answer is yes, many–but none with concise and straightforward info.)

Anyway, that’s a bit of the thought process here. We shall see whether the individual topics works out to be a cleaner and easier approach. Let’s start with an explainer on what’s labeled the “Caravanning ‘Round The World” RV and more routinely known as the Character Caravan at Walt Disney World…

Walt Disney World’s Character Caravan is a “surprise & delight” meet & greet experience that is intended to be an on-site perk for guests staying at Disney-owned resort hotels. With this, a van brings a couple of Disney fur friends to the various resorts to interact with guests in the common areas–usually the lobby. There’s usually an hour-long window consisting of two sets during which the characters appear.

The Character Caravan first debuted in October 2001, replacing something called Surprise Mornings–an early theme park entry program–in the aftermath of the 9/11 tourism slowdown. The Character Caravan ended after a little over a year, with Extra Magic Hours debuting in January 2005.

The Character Caravan returned in late 2020, almost 20 years later, when a variety of on-site perks were cut during the phased reopening following the COVID closure and Disney needed to get creative with characters during physical distancing. There are scattered reports of the “Caravanning ‘Round The World” RV being spotted in the years before 2020, presumably as a test or offering that could be deployed to enhance the guest experience when needed. But it wasn’t a regular offering outside of the post-9/11 slump and then following the phased reopening post-COVID.

You know what they say: history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. In this case, that’s true because when Walt Disney World announced on-site guest perks for the 50th Anniversary in 2021, rolling out Early Entry and Extended Evening, they did not cut the Character Caravan.

Rather, they officially acknowledged its existence in a guest-facing communication for the first time, confirming that the “Caravanning ‘Round The World” RV would continue to roll around during the World’s Most Magical Celebration, with characters dressed in their EARidescent best and dropping by to visit with guests at Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

To the best of my knowledge, Walt Disney World has not mentioned the “Caravanning ‘Round The World” RV in guest communications since the Disney100 celebration (when it received a new wrap and another new set of character costumes). It is highlighted, albeit indirectly, as part of “Cool Kid Summer” for 2025, but not mentioned by name.

The whole point of the Character Caravan is “surprise and delight.” Offer spontaneous and unexpected character moments, from grabbing selfies while waiting to check-in at the resort–or while waiting for the Mears Connect airport shuttle to goofing around in the lawn with Goofy.

It’s very laid back and informal, pretty much what you’d expect of free roaming characters in the parks. There’s no queue and usually no PhotoPass, the characters walk around on their own (trailed by a couple of attendants who will take photos) and are often the ones initiating the interactions with guests. For lack of a better description, it’s very Disneyland. 

We’ve seen the Character Caravan about a dozen times at this point, which may not seem like much over the course of ~5 years given how often we’re at the resorts, but I’d consider that fairly lucky. The “Caravanning ‘Round The World” RV is only stopping at each resort 3 or 4 times a week, with the characters actually in the lobby for less than an hour total.

As for the characters you’re likely to meet, I’d say Goofy is the big one. At least, based on my purely anecdotal experience. I’ve seen Goofy almost every single time the “Caravanning ‘Round The World” RV has appeared. Pluto, Daisy & Donald Duck, and Chip & Dale are the others we’ve spotted. (Maybe Minnie way back in December 2020, but I can’t find photographic evidence to corroborate.)

The characters who appear are widely recognizable ones, and the ones who are most prone to hilarity and hijinks. Since they’re free roaming, they’re being playful while also staying in character. This is why Goofy is a staple, regularly appearing alongside Pluto and/or Donald Duck. The chipmunks are also mainstays.

It used to be the case that the schedule of the Character Caravan was unknown. There is a schedule, it’s just not published at most resorts. Based on my anecdotal experience, it’s probably around 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; sets starting any earlier or ending later seems unlikely. The vast majority of the time, I’m seeing them late morning or early afternoon (11 a.m. to 2 p.m. seems like the sweet spot).

Earlier this year, Walt Disney World tested posting Character Caravan schedules in the lobbies of Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, and Wilderness Lodge. This is how we know that the RV makes hour-long stops 3 or 4 days per week–because the signage confirmed as much.

This test must’ve gone well, because Character Caravan is now one of the foundations of “Cool Kid Summer” at Walt Disney World. During that event, guests staying at those same select resorts will be able to enjoy “even more Disney-themed activities designed for families with kids. These activities will include character visits with set appearance times to help you plan your day and an expanded itinerary of things to do with your family throughout your stay at these four resorts.”

Walt Disney World has been fairly vague about what this all means, but we now know that the other “Disney-themed activities” will be whatever this is (photo courtesy of Disney–I haven’t seen this for myself):

What we love about the Character Caravan is the surprise and delight element of it. That the characters just appear and make a bit of organic magic. We have never planned on seeing the “Caravanning ‘Round The World” RV or staked out its locations…it just happens. I would say that 90% of the time, we’ve seen it while checking out or on a ride to the airport.

One of the things we loved about Disney’s Magical Express–and mention to this day–was the last impression it offered, sending guests home on a high note, reflecting on their trip and already thinking about the next. It’s the exact same idea with the Character Caravan. It’s a little magical moment that puts a smile on your face one last time before heading back home.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sent selfies with Goofy to Sarah at the end of a solo trip with some top-tier dad humor: “boss said he’s sending me back to you” or something along those lines. Or how many times those selfies have popped up in the ‘memories’ on our phones and put a smile on our faces. Whatever the cost of the Character Caravan, I’m positive that it pays for itself many times over in terms of goodwill and other intangibles.

But what I love most about the Character Caravan is the people watching. The one thing about dedicated character meet & greet locations is that there’s a self-selection element–you have to line up to do them. As someone who does traditional meet & greets a lot, I can tell you that there are a few guest profiles that are typically at them, and little deviation from that. The vast majority of Walt Disney World guests are not experiencing meet & greets.

It’s a totally different dynamic with the Character Caravan. Since they’re free roaming, the interactions are more organic and enjoyable for onlookers. But that’s not really anything new–I see this all the time at Disneyland (and have been advocating for more of it at Walt Disney World for years). It’s also spontaneous, and is a largely random distribution of guests. That’s the big difference-maker.

When it comes to the Character Caravan, there are few better interactions than Goofy and Pluto with reluctant dads and grandpas. The kind who want to take the picture for their kids or families, but not be in it themselves. These are serious fellas–veterans, engineers, pilots, truckers, factory & construction workers, etc–characters are a bit juvenile for them. They know the truth–it’s just a stupid fur suit.

Nine times out of ten, the characters clock this and try to “break” them. Instead of dad or grandpa being a passive viewer who fades into the background, they become the main character. Goofy or Pluto will do something exceedingly silly, and they’ll let their guard down. For a brief moment, they’re kids again. You can just see it in their faces. I know the look, because I’ve caught it on my dad’s face. What else can be said: dudes love dogs (or whatever Goofy is).

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

YOUR THOUGHTS

What do you think of the Character Caravan? Have you ever caught this “surprise and delight” character encounter? Do you wish there was a published schedule at every resort, or do you enjoy this as a spontaneous and organic experience? Agree or disagree with our assessment that this is one of the “little things” that can make Walt Disney World such a magical place? Any questions? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!